Psycho reaction

Psycho, directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Janet Leigh is the definitive horror film. It's tense music and atmosphere was something new when this movie came out in 1960. Audiences were frightened by the film and it has left a mark in the history of cinema. A genre of followers has spawned, with generic teenage horror movies trying to emulate Hitcock's original work. I actually enjoyed the movie. While some scenes were more comical than anything (the private detective falling down the stairs), I can surely see how this scared people in the 60's. They weren't accustomed to movies such as this and therefore were far easier to scare. I found it slightly erie myself, with the hotel owner's psychotic behavior. The acting was very good for a movie of this type - the characters were all believable and I was easily drawn into the story. My only gripe with this movie would be the scene beginning where Marion leaves with the money and ending when she trades out her car. To me, the acting here isn't quite as believable and the storyline doesn't flow as well. Perhaps Hitchcock could have given more of an explanation as to why she was such a nervous wreck - I hadn't realized she was stealing the money until she used it to purchase a car. In the end, though, everything came together to make a great movie. It's a classic that will always be remembered as the first major horror film and for that I give it credit.

Casablanca Reaction

To me, a great movie requires a captivating opening scene. It's what draws me in and what connects me to the characters. If the opening scene is hard to follow or doesn't retain my interest, the rest of the movie is likely to do the same. This movie had a poor opening scene (in my opinion, of course). I didn't understand what was going on in the tavern and I had a hard time following the path of the camera. Bogart's character seemed naive and bored me to death. His monotone voice and lack of enthusiasm left me spacing out half the movie. I was actually surprised this movie had garnered such critical acclaim; perhaps it was because I am not used to movies of the era, but I could not connect at all. There were a few saving graces, though. The ending was well done and the acting of Signor Ferarri was great.

King Kong Reaction - # 2

While Peter Jackson's King Kong may be a testament to the old, it's metamorphosis into something people can enjoy today can enjoy is breathtaking. Jackson's genius is clear as he blends the original masterpiece with modern technology and truly makes it his own. I do have some criticism, though. The movie is painstakingly slow to start - in the first movie, the action is pretty quick to take off. I understand Jackson was trying to convey the era and the develop the character's stories, but it was so slow to get to the action by the time the island scene began I was bored with the movie. From there, however, things took a turn for the best. As the ship slowly drifted into the mist on the water, I got a sense that the movie was going to get a lot better. The action sequences to follow were crafted in a manner that would make the original directors proud. The groundbreaking special effects are great but not surprising from a director like Peter Jackson who is known for his ability to create a masterful story that is the focal point in all his films. There are many things one can say about Peter Jackson's King King; great visuals, an immersive world, fantastic acting, but if there was one compliment I could give to this movie it would be this: It did the original justice. If any other person set out to recreate the Kong experience, we would have gotten a dry and poorly written copy of a classic. Instead, we got a deep and emotional story that makes you pick sides (and most people wanted to side with Kong). Whatever you want to call it, I enjoyed this film. The slow sequences were just that; slow, but the great sequences were more than great. I can only hope that one day somebody can do the same for Peter Jackson, perhaps recreating one of his greats and doing so not only for commercial success, but for the honor of one of the greatest directors of this generation.

King Kong – Reaction

This movie surprised me. The special effects are cringe-worthy, the acting is overboard, and the general atmosphere was pretty comical. I was still captivated, though. Once you get past the black and white, the quintessential 30’s dramatic acting, and the horrible special effects the movie actually becomes quite watchable. The first scene with Kong made me laugh, but when I wasn’t focused on how much the special effects sucked I actually began to believe the action I was seeing on screen and felt just like anyone would, seeing this for the first time back in the day. I must give the directors credit for the patience they had as well. 24 pictures per second, moving Kong over and over again. That would be so monotonous it’s not even funny. It also makes me think of how far we’ve come in film. The stark contrast between the old and new King Kong films are a definite reminder of the progress we’ve made. I can only imagine taking someone from that era and sitting them down to watch the new King Kong. So in essence, I enjoyed the picture to a certain extent. It’s definitely not a movie I would buy (or rent for that matter) but definitely something I can appreciate for what it’s worth. I can see how this movie would have amazed – or terrified – audiences in the 1930’s. The environments, excluding the beasts, were rather believable. It was obvious when they were in front of a green screen but when mucking through the treacherous terrain I got a real sense of a lush and thriving jungle that existed beyond the camera’s focal point. I was expecting the acting to be sub-par. These days, 90% of the time action movies have a paper thin plot and acting to match. The actors all played their roles well, and I could definitely pick up any emotion they were trying to convey. My favorite scene was when they were putting Anne on the pedestal to be sacrificed to Kong. You can see fear in the eyes of the villagers. You can tell something evil – something primal – is coming through the jungle, and the suspense is surprisingly encompassing. Anne’s reaction of fear and desperation add to the tenseness of the situation. The shot angles are used to give the audience a sense of hugeness to everything that is going on. All of these things come together to make, in my opinion, the best scene in the movie. Of course all the suspense is lost when Kong shows up and looks like a toy you’d buy for a kid at Walmart, but it was good while it lasted.